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Nicki Minaj Announces She's Dropping Out of Saudi Arabia Festival

By Bernadette Roe

The 2019 Met Gala Celebrating Camp: Notes on Fashion - Arrivals
The 2019 Met Gala Celebrating Camp: Notes on Fashion - Arrivals / Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images

Nicki Minaj was scheduled to headline at Jeddah World Fest in Saudi Arabia at the end of July, alongside other performers such as Liam Payne, Steve Aoki, R3Wire and Varski MC. However, Minaj announced on Tuesday that she will no longer be performing.

The festival is to be held at the King Abdullah Sports stadium in the Red Sea city and will be globally covered by MTV.

According to TMZ, Minaj said:

"After careful reflection I have decided to no longer move forward with my scheduled concert at Jeddah World Fest...While I want nothing more than to bring my show to fans in Saudi Arabia, after better educating myself on the issues, I believe it is important for me to make clear my support for the rights of women, the LGBTQ community and freedom of expression."

The rapper's decision comes after extensive backlash, with many commenting on the apparent hypocrisy surrounding the event. Minaj is famous for her positive messages of sexuality and her revealing choices in clothing and performance, while women who would attend the event would likely not be allowed such freedom.